EMBARRASS—Jada Lore has found dirt track racing to her liking.
“I like it,” Lore, 14, said. “It’s definitely fun. I like coming to the track.”
Lore three years ago began racing in the WISSOTA Hornet division.
Lore, of Embarrass, comes from a dirt track racing family.
“My dad (Robbie) raced and then he took a break,” Lore said. “He would take me to the track every weekend. And my grandpa (Doug Koski) on my mom’s side also raced, so I said ‘I want to try it’.”
Lore first got a taste of racing in snowmobile competition, racing in the KC Pro East series.
After beginning her dirt track racing career driving with caution and a bit of nerves, Lore’s 2024 season has proven to be her best.
Heading into championship Saturday, Lore held a 28-point lead in the race for the Hibbing Raceway 2024 Hornet season points title.
To win the title would be her biggest accomplishment in dirt track racing, Lore said.
“It would be awesome because I never won a feature this year,” Lore said. “At least it proves I’m consistent.”
Lore has come a long ways since first getting behind the wheel of her No. 24JR, 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt Hornet.
“My first two years were okay,” Lore said. “I didn’t want to be a bad driver. I was so nervous, I’d stick to the bottom all the time.”
But as she gained seat time, Lore also began to gain confidence, stepping up her on-track speed and aggressiveness.
“On the first Labor Day, I ended up leading about half the race,” Lore said. “Last year, I led a couple
laps too. Me and Kennedy Swan became the first girls to finish in the top five at the Labor Day Shootout.”
Although Lore has competed at Grand Rapids Speedway in the past, all of Lore’s racing this year has been at Hibbing Raceway.
According to myracepass.com, Lore notched six top five finishes this year.
“I feel like I’ve been a little more aggressive,” Lore said. “I have a little more confidence now. Now, if I need to pass a car, I’m not nervous to go to the top. I’ve won a bunch of heats, but my best in the feature
is second. I had a couple of DNF’s (did not finish), but other than that I’ve been mostly in the top ten.”
As she has gained experience, so have others in the Hornet field, Lore said.
“Not many people have moved up,” Lore said. “But the kids I started with are getting better, so the competition is better.”
This year, Lore and her family rolled out her revamped red, white, blue, and black Cobalt.
“We put a new body on it and put new stickers on,” Lore said. “I think it looks pretty spiffy.”
As Lore has learned on the track, she’s also learning in the garage.
Lore, with her father’s lead, has been learning how to maintain her race car.
“I swap tires, change oil and filters and sometimes I do the tire grinding,” Lore said. “We had to replace the right front suspension, so with my dad’s help I learned about that.”
Lore said her mother Kelly Koski is also a key part of the team.
“My mom handles all the apparel, our Facebook page and all the handouts,” Lore said.
Lore hopes to finish the local racing season strong at the Labor Day Shootout.
“Obviously, I’d like to win,” Lore said. “I’d be happy with a top ten, but I’d be super happy with a top five. That’s where I finished last year.”
After that, Lore may compete in other invitationals such as at Bemidji Speedway, she said.
As for the future, Lore has thoughts of moving up to a higher class.
“I’m hoping to eventually move up to a B Mod or a Super (stock),” Lore said. “But that will come in time.”
Lore is sponsored by Island Breeze Henna, Cappo Construction, Nicole’s Cleaning Service, Northbound Realty, Pike River Repair, Arrowhead Motorcycle Apparel and Supply, Petron Plus, and Ethnic Creations.
Most Popular
Comments / 0